by Lynn Cahoon
This isn’t a date, Mia. The man’s just trying to help you out. Mia’s logical side tried to calm her runaway daydreams. She’d felt the power surge between them when he’d touched her arm. Power like that only happened between two magical creatures. Two witches.
Even being a kitchen witch, she could feel the power that being next to him brought out in her. She wasn’t supposed to have strong powers. Not like this. Her specialty was more in the healing arts. Charms and potions to make the ill feel better. Prayers and chants to focus powerful positive energy into the world. So why was her magical side throbbing like a tightly wound guitar string?
The manager had the box with the generator on a cart waiting for Trent. While he chatted, it was apparent the man was excited at the prospect of the storm. “I tell you, Trent, if you hadn’t called, you’d be walking out of here empty-handed. I’ve already sold out all my snow shovels as well. And the sidewalk salt supply is almost depleted. Seriously, two or three more storms like this and this will be my best year on record with this store. It’s making me rethink the ten percent discount I gave you on that beauty.”
A clerk rang up the generator and looked at Trent. “Six hundred forty-seven.” She popped her gum.
Mia swiped her debit card through the reader. Just another cost of home ownership, she thought. Renting never looked so good. Keying in her pin, she smiled at the young woman when she handed Mia the receipt.
“Thanks for shopping Home Heaven,” the clerk chirped and focused on the next customer without waiting for a response.
Mia moved out of the line and went to stand by Trent, who now stood by the cart with his friend. He put his hand on the small of her back and drew her closer. “Thanks for helping us out, Corey. Mia’s new place will be amazing once it’s done, but right now it’s mostly a construction nightmare.”
Mia pursed her lips, trying to keep the response from bubbling out. Instead, she looked up at Trent and smiled. “You said you’d buy me lunch. Are we ready? I’m starving.”
Trent leaned closer, bending over to meet Mia’s gaze. He was going to kiss her. Right here in Home Heaven, in front of his friend and everything. She closed her eyes. It was only a kiss. She could play the role of Trent’s girlfriend if it meant she got a discount on the generator. When no kiss happened she opened her eyes to see Trent and the manager watching her.
“I tell you, those seizures are coming faster now.” Trent reached out his arm and shook hands with his friend. “Better get some food in her before I have to rush her off to the hospital.”
“Nice to meet you,” Corey called after them as Trent pushed the cart through the large automatic doors.
When they reached the van Trent lifted the generator into the back and then settled into the passenger seat next to Mia. “What? Corey is kind of picky who he does favors for. I told him we were dating.”
“And apparently that I have hunger seizures. Is that even a real disease?”
Trent shrugged. “It looked like you expected me to kiss you.”
“I just wanted to thank you for the discount. I wasn’t expecting to need to shell out money for this before next year, when we were up and running. I’m going to have to get up faster than I’d planned or I won’t have any savings left.” Mia started the engine and let the car idle. “So, where to now?”
“I’ll buy you lunch because you’re pleading poverty. Technically, you should be buying to thank me for helping you with the generator, but I can be generous. Go back over the bridge and take the first left. We’ll hit the clubhouse.” Trent leaned back in his seat. “I guess if we’re dating, I should at least treat you to one meal before we get back to Magic Springs and break up.”
“Wouldn’t be my shortest relationship.” Mia turned the car back on the road and toward home.
“That sounds promising.” Trent turned up the stereo. “I love this song. Tell me your dating horror stories at lunch and I’ll tell you mine.”
They drove to the turn off the highway, then followed the narrow road as it wound the canyon toward the river. There didn’t seem to be any businesses in this direction. She glanced at Trent and started to ask if she’d turned down the wrong road, but all of a sudden she saw the building, built off a ledge in the cliff. She parked near the door. The place looked like a shack. “Hot dogs?”
Trent shook his head. “You’re a food snob. I knew it. I guess you can’t help it, being a chef and all. But seriously, how have you never heard about this place?” He climbed out of the van and walked around to the door of the restaurant. He paused, smiling at Mia, who’d hurried to catch up. “Believe me, you’ll love it.”
Trent opened the door and they stepped into a large dining room with a fireplace to the right. On the left was a wall of windows, showing off the canyon walls. An eagle floated into view, soared to the left, then dived, apparently after his lunch, floating below him in the river. A hostess seated them and Mia opened the menu.
The listing of items surprised her, and she spent several minutes lost in the restaurant’s offerings. When the waitress came for their order she questioned her on how the chef prepared a dish or two, then ordered a pan-fried trout with wild rice and a small salad with house-made blue cheese dressing. Trent ordered a rib-eye steak, a baked potato, and a large order of Italian nachos for an appetizer. She raised her eyebrows at his choice. Thank the Goddess he’d offered to pay.
“Don’t look at me that way, I didn’t have breakfast.” Trent handed the waitress his menu.
“Unless you count the bag of doughnut holes you consumed before we even got down the Magic?” Mia watched as a deer walked out onto the tenth hole and started nibbling on the grass. “This place is amazing. People actually golf here?”
“They pay good money for a membership. Most of the members actually live in Sun Valley and drive down.” Trent sipped his water as he watched Mia watch the deer. “I’m a member, more for the business connections. You’d be surprised at how many deals get worked out over a round of golf.”
Mia sighed, then played with her fork.
“What did I say?” Trent leaned closer and put his hand over hers.
“I think Mia’s Morsels is doomed.” Mia set the fork by her plate and leaned into him. “I can’t play golf, I don’t know the townsfolk, and most of them think I killed Adele anyway.”
“Which should give you the sympathy business.” Trent smiled. “I know, not funny. You do have one secret weapon, though.”
“I do?” Mia couldn’t think of one advantage she had that might help the business stay open in the first week, let alone the first year.
“Your grandmother. She could talk a farmer into buying rubber boots for his cows.”
Mia smiled at the thought. “You’re right. She’s amazing.”
The waitress brought the platter of nachos and two plates. She glanced at Mia. “I could bring your salad out now if you’d rather.”
Mia laughed, the sound tinkling through the empty dining room. “No worries. I think I’ll help Trent get rid of a few of these before I go all healthy.”
After the waitress had disappeared from their table Trent pointed a chip at her. “You don’t have to worry about Baldwin or the town. I’m sure no one really believes you could kill Adele.” He thought for a moment, then added, “Now Christina, that’s a different story.”
Mia sighed. She wished Baldwin wouldn’t single out Christina so much. She’d been through so much already. “Please don’t tell me Baldwin’s looking at her. She’s barely out of high school.”
Trent shook his head. “All I know are the rumors that flow through the store. Baldwin and I haven’t been buddies since I threw him into the log pond during senior sneak. The creep was hiding and watching the girls change into their swimsuits.”
Mia choked on her nacho. “The guy’s a Peeping Tom?”
Trent cocked his head. “Was a Peeping Tom. I think I cured him of that bad habit. Besides, he married Sarah right out of college. If anyone can keep someone i
n line, it’s Sarah. The woman scares me. She ran the senior class like it was her own small business. You didn’t show for an event you were supposed to work, she’d track you down. I think the class still has money in their account, almost twenty years later.”
“I thought he had a girlfriend named Tilly.” Mia frowned, trying to remember the story she’d heard from Grans.
“Tilly was his first girlfriend. She left town when he was in Boise for the police academy. He was planning on proposing when he came back.” Trent sipped his water. “He was heartbroken. But Sarah, she’d had her eye on Mark since kindergarten. So she swooped in for the win. I don’t think he even knew what hit him.”
“Sometimes people meet their soul mates young.” Mia leaned back and watched the canyon as the midday light filtered through the slow-moving clouds played on the walls.
“And for some of us it takes a little longer.” Trent’s words brought her attention back to him. He stared at her, his light-green eyes seeming to search her face for a reaction. Mia noticed the laugh lines on his face and thought about the touch in the car. Oh, yes, she felt the attraction, the deep, gut-searing need to take this man to her bed and do bad things with him. And then try them all over again.
She decided to change the subject, and quick. “Tell me what you know about John Louis. The man seems to have a serious anger problem.”
Trent considered her words as he consumed a fully loaded nacho chip. “He used to live in Sun Valley. His mom’s place, I believe. He grew up on the right side of the tracks, but when she was duped by husband number five and lost all the family wealth, John moved to Magic Springs. He’s been married to Carol for ten, maybe more years. From what Levi tells me, she’s had more than her share of ‘accidents’ where the EMTs have been called.”
“Kind of what I figured when I saw them at Adele’s wake.” Mia folded her napkin. “I guess he was the other bidder on the school?”
“Yeah. He told everyone who would listen how this was his big deal. He had an investor lined up to turn the property into a strip mall. Franchise heaven. Rumor had it he was in league with one of the big grocery chains, which was trying to get into the area cheap.” Trent considered her. “Is he giving you problems?”
“Yes and no. I mean, he made me an offer on the school. Told me he’d give me asking plus a nice profit. When I turned him down he got mean.” Mia glanced around the empty dining room, before continuing. She had to tell someone. “He insinuated that Adele’s death should have convinced me to sell out. And I’m pretty sure he’s the one who made a threatening phone call to me. Although I haven’t shared my suspicions with anyone but you.”
“You need to talk to Baldwin. You’re acting like you’re the Lone Ranger in all this. People don’t have the right to scare you into selling.” Trent sipped his water. “Tell me you aren’t hiding back anything else?”
“What makes you think I haven’t told Baldwin? Okay, so maybe I haven’t told him this specifically, but he didn’t believe me when I called before.” Mia held up her hand in what she thought was a Girl Scout salute. She’d only been a Brownie, so maybe it didn’t hold her accountable for her next words. “But I get your point. I swear I won’t try to solve this problem all on my own.”
The moment broke when the waitress came with their entrées. Neither Trent nor Mia spoke for several minutes after she’d left. Finally Mia chose the easy way out, an old first date trick she’d learned. When in doubt talk about the food.
“The trout is fantastic.” She didn’t look up to see his response.
“Really? That’s all you have to say?” Trent’s words were playful, but she knew he expected something more.
“The view is amazing.”
Trent held up his hands in mock surrender. “Fine, we won’t talk about it more here or now. But Mia, you need to talk to Baldwin. I could call him if you want.”
“Well, maybe you should call because apparently he’ll call you back. He’s not getting to back to me.” As she heard a hawk cry as he floated over the river, Mia knew Trent was only trying to help. There was a chance at something new with him, something good. But right now he just needed to back off. She didn’t need anyone taking care of her. Not now, not ever. “Sorry if that sounded harsh. I just need some space on this.”
Trent picked up his fork. “My fault. I can be a little over the top. But if you want to talk, I’ll try to be a better listener.”
Mia nodded, then focused on enjoying the food in front of her. She tried to quiet the river of thoughts running through her mind. She reached for the knife to cut her trout and the metal caught a stream of sunlight and sparkled.
The knife; she’d forgotten about the knife.
* * *
As they finished their lunch in silence, the door to the small dining room opened and two men walked in. The waitress seated William Danforth at a table near the fireplace, and his companion looked a lot like Barney Mann, cheap 42 short suit and all.
“Of all the low-down,” Mia whispered. “What are those two doing together?”
Trent jerked his head to follow Mia’s gaze. He flipped some bills on the table next to the check and whispered, “Do you want to leave?”
Mia nodded. If she stayed any longer, she’d march over to the table and demand to know what they were discussing. Not a wise move against the man who’d all but branded her a murderer at their last meeting. Besides, Danforth could just be courting Mann to weasel information from him about the will. Barney could just be in the meeting for a good meal. And although his doctor might disagree, she couldn’t fault the man for taking a free lunch. Even from a creep like Danforth.
She whispered a quick wish for health for the portly lawyer, the feeling his days were numbered almost overwhelming her as she sprinted out of the dining room. Trent walked close by, blocking her face from view in case the men looked up from their menus. As the door closed behind them, Mia burst into laughter. “I’ve never snuck out of a restaurant before.”
“Not even in college, when you had no money to pay for your meal?” Trent walked her to the van and held the driver’s-side door open for her.
“Especially not then.” She paused and rubbed her eyes. “Can you do me a favor?”
“Sure, what? Do we need to make another stop in town?”
Mia shook her head. “Actually, can you drive back? All of a sudden I’m beat. Maybe it was the food, but I can hardly keep my eyes open.”
“I can do that.” He closed the driver’s door and followed her to the passenger side, where he opened that door for her.
The guy was nothing if not polite. Mia handed him her keys. Her eyes burned. Having Trent drive gave her time to power nap before she returned home to the intrigue and danger. Being a bit overdramatic, aren’t we? Mia bit her lip, trying to keep from laughing. It was bad enough she occasionally talked to herself. If she told anyone that her invisible friend told her jokes, she’d be locked away until a room opened up at the state school or a private hospital.
She slipped into the passenger seat and let Trent shut the door. She watched as he pulled on the handle, making sure the door had completely sealed, a habit she watched her friends with kids do, making sure the door wasn’t ajar and could pop open. Trent didn’t have kids, did he? One more thing she didn’t know about the mysterious grocery store owner, and she had no way of asking without looking like she was prying into his personal life. The pictures in his wallet screamed at her to peek, but she ignored the feeling even when Trent gently tossed the wallet into the console next to her, shrugging.
“I don’t like driving with it stuffed in my pants.” He shrugged and put the keys into the ignition.
“There are so many responses to that statement that I can’t choose one.” Mia smiled, her urge to snoop settled.
“You’re bad.” Trent turned on to the narrow road to head up the canyon. “Must be why I like you.”
Those words hung in the air for miles without a response. Mia’s eyelids drooped, and
soon she succumbed to the sunshine and rocking of the car. She felt it jerk and her eyes flew open.
“What’s happening?” She glanced around, confused. Instead of the brown prairies outside Twin Falls, she saw the snow-covered Magic road.
“Hit a patch of ice. Sorry I woke you.” Trent turned down the radio. “I’ve been listening to the weather report. I think the storm’s coming in tonight rather than late tomorrow.”
“Are we going to make it back?” Mia craned her neck, trying to find a road sign to get her bearings.
“We’re only a few miles out. We should be fine.”
Mia glanced at her phone. Three bars. She dialed her grandmother’s number. When Grans answered she spoke quickly, hoping she wouldn’t lose the call. “Hey, pack your stuff and get over to the school. The storm’s coming now.”
She paused as she listened. “Oh, well, we’ll be in town soon. I’ll see you then.”
She clicked off the phone and watched the road.
“Problem?” Trent swore quietly under his breath as the van hit another ice patch.
Mia frowned; the road had gotten dangerous in the hours they’d been gone. No way Barney and Danforth would make it back to town tonight. Somehow their inconvenience made her happy. She didn’t wish harm to them, but delay—that she could handle.
She started to tell Trent about her conversation when a deer jumped in front of them. Trent hit the brakes and the car skidded into the Magic side of the road and crashed into the rocks.
Mia swore as she watched the deer bound away, the doe looking back at them like they had been in her way, rather than the other way around.
“Are you all right?” Trent pushed her hair out of her eyes and searched her face for signs of pain or injury.
“Fine.” Mia blew out a breath. “Glad you went right instead of left. I’m not sure the van would have made it down the mountainside in one piece.”
